18 As Paul at Corinth 6 taught the Gentiles, 9 the Lord comforteth him. 12 He is accused before Gallio, 16 but in vain: 18 From thence he saileth to Syria, 19 and so to Ephesus. 23 At Galatia and Phrygia he strengtheneth the disciples. 24 Apollos being more perfectly instructed by Aquila, 28 preacheth Christ with great efficacy.
1 After [a]these things, Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth,
2 And found a certain Jew named (A)Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, and his wife Priscilla (because that [b]Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome) and he came unto them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wrought (for their craft was to make tents.)
4 [c]And he disputed in the Synagogue every Sabbath day, and [d]exhorted the Jews, and the Grecians.
5 Now when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, Paul, [e]forced in spirit, testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
6 [f]And when they resisted and blasphemed, he (B)shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your [g]blood be upon your own head: I am clean: from henceforth will I go unto the Gentiles.
7 So he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, a worshipper of God, whose house joined hard to the Synagogue.
8 And (C)Crispus the chief ruler of the Synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household: and many of the Corinthians hearing it, believed and were baptized.
9 [h]Then said the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Fear not, but speak, and hold not thy peace.
10 For I am with thee, and no man shall lay hands on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
11 So he [i]continued there a year and six months, and taught the word of God among them.
12 ¶ [j]Now when Gallio was deputy of [k]Achaia, the Jews arose with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God otherwise than the Law appointeth.
14 And as Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong, or an evil deed, O ye Jews, I would according to [l]reason maintain you.
15 But if it be a question of [m]words and [n]names, and of your Law, look ye to it yourselves: for I will be no judge of those things.
16 And he drove them from the judgment seat.
17 Then took all the Grecians Sosthenes the chief ruler of the Synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat: but Gallio cared nothing for those things.
18 [o]But when Paul had tarried there yet a good while, he took leave of the brethren, and sailed into Syria, (and with him Priscilla and Aquila) after that [p]he had shorn his head in [q]Cenchrea: for he had made a (D)vow.
19 Then he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he entered into the Synagogue and disputed with the Jews.
20 [r]Who desired him to tarry a longer time with them: but he would not consent,
21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must needs keep this feast that cometh, in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, (E)[s]if God will. So he sailed from Ephesus.
22 ¶ And when he came down to Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem: and when he had saluted the Church, he went down unto Antioch.
23 Now when he had tarried there a while, he departed, and went through the country of Galatia and Phrygia by order, strengthening all the disciples.
24 [t]And a certain Jew named (F)Apollos, born at Alexandria, came to Ephesus, an eloquent man, and [u]mighty in the Scriptures.
25 The same was instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spake fervently in the Spirit, and taught diligently the things of the Lord, and knew but the baptism of John only.
26 And he began to speak boldly in the Synagogue. Whom when (G)Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the [v]way of God more perfectly.
27 And when he was minded to go into Achaia, the brethren exhorting him, wrote to the disciples to receive him: and after he was come thither, he helped them much which had believed through [w]grace.
28 For mightily he confuted publicly the Jews, with great vehemency, showing by the Scriptures, that Jesus was that Christ.
Footnotes
- Acts 18:1 The true ministers are so far from seeking their own profit, that they do willingly depart from their right, rather than the course of the Gospel should be hindered in the least wise that might be.
- Acts 18:2 Suetonius recordeth that Rome banished the Jews, because they were always at disquiet, and that by Christ’s means.
- Acts 18:4 The truth ought always to be freely uttered, yet notwithstanding the doctrine may be so moderated, as occasion of the profit that the people take thereby, shall require.
- Acts 18:4 Exhorted so that he persuaded, and so the word signifieth.
- Acts 18:5 Was very much grieved in mind: whereby is signified the great earnestness of his mind, which was greatly moved: for Paul was so zealous, that he clean forgot himself, and with a wonderful courage gave himself to preach Christ.
- Acts 18:6 Although we have assayed all means possible, and yet in vain, we must not leave off from our work, but forsake the rebellious, and go to them that be more obedient.
- Acts 18:6 This is a kind of speech taken from the Hebrews, whereby he meaneth, that the Jews are cause of their own destruction: and as for him, that he is without fault in forsaking them and going to other nations.
- Acts 18:9 God doth avouch and maintain the constancy of his servants.
- Acts 18:11 Word for word, sat, whereupon they in former time, took the name of their Bishop’s seat: but Paul sat, that is, continued teaching the word of God: and this kind of seat belongeth nothing to them which never saw their seats with a mind to teach in them.
- Acts 18:12 The wicked are never weary of evil doing, but the Lord mocketh their endeavors marvelously.
- Acts 18:12 That is, of Greece, yet the Romans did not call him Deputy of Greece, but of Achaia, because the Romans brought the Greeks into subjection by the Achaians, which in those days were Princes of Greece, as Pausanias recordeth.
- Acts 18:14 As much as in right I could.
- Acts 18:15 As if a man have not spoken well, as the case of your religion standeth.
- Acts 18:15 For this profane man thinketh that the controversy of religion, is but a brawl about words, and for no matter of substance.
- Acts 18:18 Paul is made all to all, to win all to Christ.
- Acts 18:18 That is, Paul.
- Acts 18:18 Cenchrea was an haven of the Corinthians.
- Acts 18:20 The Apostles were carried about not by the will of man, but by the leading of the holy Ghost.
- Acts 18:21 So we should promise nothing without this clause, for we know not what the day following will bring forth.
- Acts 18:24 Apollos, a godly and learned man, refuseth not to profit in the school of a base and abject handicraftsman, and also of a woman: and so becometh an excellent minister of the Church.
- Acts 18:24 Very well instructed in the knowledge of the Scriptures.
- Acts 18:26 The way that leadeth to God.
- Acts 18:27 Through God’s gracious favor, or by those excellent gifts which God hath bestowed upon him.